Blessings Darlings!
We're still going thru' general advice here. And I'm still just generally running off at the fingers.
Never lift your eyes and look up in battle,
Lest the heroes enchant you,
who can change warriors
Suddenly into hogs,
Focus on the task at hand. One opponent at a time. Use your to-do list - planning 'ahead of the battle' (before you start your day) lets you identify which opponent to fight when.
With a good woman, if you wish to enjoy
Her words and her good will,
Pledge her fairly and be faithful to it:
Enjoy the good you are given,
Don't be a douche. Put a ring on it.
Be not over wary, but wary enough,
First, of the foaming ale,
Second, of a woman wed to another,
Third, of the tricks of thieves.
Oh! Among the survivalists/preppers I hand with I see the overwary often: Everything seen as an immediate critical threat. No ability to relax in any circumstance. It's more than balanced among those who don't prep at all, who are not at ALL wary of the /thievesgovernment/wars/pandemics/other threats that do exist.
Mock not the traveller met On the road,
Nor maliciously laugh at the guest:
Scoff not at guests nor to the gate chase them,
But relieve the lonely and wretched,
The sitters in the hall seldom know
The kin of the new-comer:
The best man is marred by faults,
The worst is not without worth.
Never laugh at the old when they offer counsel,
Often their words are wise:
From shrivelled skin, from scraggy things
That hand among the hides
And move amid the guts,
Clear words often come.
Don't be a douche. Listen to everyone. Evaluate, of course, but listen.
Heavy the beam above the door;
Hang a horse-shoe On it
Against ill-luck, lest it should suddenly
Crash and crush your guests.
Medicines exist against many evils:
Earth against drunkenness, heather against worms
Oak against costiveness, corn against sorcery,
Spurred rye against rupture, runes against bales
The moon against feuds, fire against sickness,
Earth makes harmless the floods.
I need to understand those more. Earth against drunkenness - not sure about that. Fire against sickness - fire purifies in general and destroys sources of contageon. Beltain is tomorrow as I type, when herds would be driven between two fires. Turns out that helps kill off lice and other insects that carry disease.
And, dang, why translate whatever the original word was to "costiveness"? I just looked the damn thing up - it's CONSTIPATION. I assume they mean eat green leaves to fight that, because I'd use the tannins of bark and acorns in teas to fight diarrhea (and possibly the worms they use heather against).
Showing posts with label Havamal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Havamal. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Havamal, Part 9
Blessings Darlings!
It certainly has been a while since I did a Havamal installment. I'm sorry about that. But I plan to get back to them regularly now - well, there are only going to be one or two installments after this one, but I figure to do them once a week again.
What was I doing while away? Part of it was working on marketing. Which means I'm reading business and marketing lessons into this segment of the Havamal. Of course, I see most of life as being about business and marketing, so that's nothing new.
Let a man with his guests be glad and merry,
Modest a man should be"
But talk well if he intends to be wise
And expects praise from men:
Fimbul fambi is the fool called "
Unable to open his mouth.
Fruitless my errand, had I been silent
When I came to Suttung's courts:
With spirited words I spoke to my profit
In the hall of the aged giant.
Some people say that it's hard to find the sweet spot between being too quiet in a group and babbling too much. If I might be so bold - I'd suggest that it's not that difficult to find. If you read the front page stories in any paper regularly, have a hobby or two, pay bills, buy/cook/eat food, etc, then you have things to talk about that work their way into most conversations at one point or another. And if you listen to what others say, and let them have their say, you easily avoid being obnoxious and monopolizing the conversation. Here Odhinn did talk. He talked with, not to, Gunnlod, won her confidence, and ended up winning the Mead.
The following day the Frost Giants came,
Walked into Har's hall To ask for Har's advice:
Had Bolverk they asked, come back to his friends,
Or had he been slain by Suttung?
Odhinn, they said, swore an oath on his ring:
Who from now on will trust him?
By fraud at the feast he befuddled Suttung
And brought grief to Gunnlod.
Uh - isn't Har another name for Odhinn?
It is time to sing in the seat of the wise,
Of what at Urd's Well I saw in silence,
saw and thought on.
Long I listened to men
Runes heard spoken, (counsels revealed.)
At Har's hall, In Har's hall:
There I heard this.
Yes - listen. Yes - watch. Yes - THINK ON. These things you can do while holding up your end in a conversation. And certainly do the thinking all the time. Remember, the fountain of Urd is in Asgard, Odhinn is silent and thinking even there.
Now, on to advice. "Rede" if you will.... It's mostly about building community, one person at a time. Aligning with the honorable and wise, avoiding the fools, putting distance between you and the evil.
Loddfafnir, listen to my counsel:
You will fare well if you follow it,
It will help you much if you heed it.
Never rise at night unless you need to spy
Or to ease yourself in the outhouse.
I wonder if in the original this is "to watch" - to be on guard.
If you must journey to mountains and firths,
Take food and fodder with you.
Never open your heart to an evil man
When fortune does not favour you:
From an evil man, if you make him your friend,
You will get evil for good.
If others don't trust someone, there is often a reason. If it's because they've been shitty to others, they WILL turn on you when it is to their advantage.
If you know a friend you can fully trust,
Go often to his house
Grass and brambles grow quickly
Upon the untrodden track.
Nurture good relationships. Invest in them. Yes, I AM typing this at a writing date with Suz, why do you ask? Friends that you can trust and, at times, vent to are a need in life. They will help you sort of the gold from the dross, and help you find the right word to use when writing.
With a good man it is good to talk,
Make him your fast friend:
But waste no words on a witless oaf,
Nor sit with a senseless ape.
Gawds, once in high school, ages and ages ago, I was desperately trying to finish writing a paper due later that day. I was in the library in a two-person cubicle with my best friend. She WOULD NOT SHUT UP. I ended up screaming at her, walked out, and finished writing in the loud, active cafeteria - it was easier to do their. The witless will sap your strength and attention.
Cherish those near you, never be
The first to break with a friend:
Care eats him who can no longer
Open his heart to another.
An evil man, if you make him your friend,
Will give you evil for good:
A good man, if you make him your friend"
Will praise you in every place,
Affection is mutual when men can open
All their heart to each other:
He whose words are always fair
Is untrue and not to be trusted.
Bandy no speech with a bad man:
Often the better is beaten
In a word fight by the worse.
THAT advise is SO hard for me to follow! Some of you know me well, and know that I ... uh ... tend to enjoy a verbal joust rather too much. I tend to find douchebaggery entertaining when I turn them into targets.
Be not a cobbler nor a carver of shafts,
Except it be for yourself:
If a shoe fit ill or a shaft be crooked"
The maker gets curses and kicks.
If aware that another is wicked, say so:
Make no truce or treaty with foes.
And THAT is how I justify my targeting/identifing/pointing out douchebags.
Never share in the shamefully gotten,
But allow yourself what is lawful.
Stop the piracy. We're software developers, ffs, bit torrents are killing us.
That's it for now.
Frondly, Fern
It certainly has been a while since I did a Havamal installment. I'm sorry about that. But I plan to get back to them regularly now - well, there are only going to be one or two installments after this one, but I figure to do them once a week again.
What was I doing while away? Part of it was working on marketing. Which means I'm reading business and marketing lessons into this segment of the Havamal. Of course, I see most of life as being about business and marketing, so that's nothing new.
Let a man with his guests be glad and merry,
Modest a man should be"
But talk well if he intends to be wise
And expects praise from men:
Fimbul fambi is the fool called "
Unable to open his mouth.
Fruitless my errand, had I been silent
When I came to Suttung's courts:
With spirited words I spoke to my profit
In the hall of the aged giant.
Some people say that it's hard to find the sweet spot between being too quiet in a group and babbling too much. If I might be so bold - I'd suggest that it's not that difficult to find. If you read the front page stories in any paper regularly, have a hobby or two, pay bills, buy/cook/eat food, etc, then you have things to talk about that work their way into most conversations at one point or another. And if you listen to what others say, and let them have their say, you easily avoid being obnoxious and monopolizing the conversation. Here Odhinn did talk. He talked with, not to, Gunnlod, won her confidence, and ended up winning the Mead.
The following day the Frost Giants came,
Walked into Har's hall To ask for Har's advice:
Had Bolverk they asked, come back to his friends,
Or had he been slain by Suttung?
Odhinn, they said, swore an oath on his ring:
Who from now on will trust him?
By fraud at the feast he befuddled Suttung
And brought grief to Gunnlod.
Uh - isn't Har another name for Odhinn?
It is time to sing in the seat of the wise,
Of what at Urd's Well I saw in silence,
saw and thought on.
Long I listened to men
Runes heard spoken, (counsels revealed.)
At Har's hall, In Har's hall:
There I heard this.
Yes - listen. Yes - watch. Yes - THINK ON. These things you can do while holding up your end in a conversation. And certainly do the thinking all the time. Remember, the fountain of Urd is in Asgard, Odhinn is silent and thinking even there.
Now, on to advice. "Rede" if you will.... It's mostly about building community, one person at a time. Aligning with the honorable and wise, avoiding the fools, putting distance between you and the evil.
Loddfafnir, listen to my counsel:
You will fare well if you follow it,
It will help you much if you heed it.
Never rise at night unless you need to spy
Or to ease yourself in the outhouse.
I wonder if in the original this is "to watch" - to be on guard.
If you must journey to mountains and firths,
Take food and fodder with you.
Never open your heart to an evil man
When fortune does not favour you:
From an evil man, if you make him your friend,
You will get evil for good.
If others don't trust someone, there is often a reason. If it's because they've been shitty to others, they WILL turn on you when it is to their advantage.
If you know a friend you can fully trust,
Go often to his house
Grass and brambles grow quickly
Upon the untrodden track.
Nurture good relationships. Invest in them. Yes, I AM typing this at a writing date with Suz, why do you ask? Friends that you can trust and, at times, vent to are a need in life. They will help you sort of the gold from the dross, and help you find the right word to use when writing.
With a good man it is good to talk,
Make him your fast friend:
But waste no words on a witless oaf,
Nor sit with a senseless ape.
Gawds, once in high school, ages and ages ago, I was desperately trying to finish writing a paper due later that day. I was in the library in a two-person cubicle with my best friend. She WOULD NOT SHUT UP. I ended up screaming at her, walked out, and finished writing in the loud, active cafeteria - it was easier to do their. The witless will sap your strength and attention.
Cherish those near you, never be
The first to break with a friend:
Care eats him who can no longer
Open his heart to another.
An evil man, if you make him your friend,
Will give you evil for good:
A good man, if you make him your friend"
Will praise you in every place,
Affection is mutual when men can open
All their heart to each other:
He whose words are always fair
Is untrue and not to be trusted.
Bandy no speech with a bad man:
Often the better is beaten
In a word fight by the worse.
THAT advise is SO hard for me to follow! Some of you know me well, and know that I ... uh ... tend to enjoy a verbal joust rather too much. I tend to find douchebaggery entertaining when I turn them into targets.
Be not a cobbler nor a carver of shafts,
Except it be for yourself:
If a shoe fit ill or a shaft be crooked"
The maker gets curses and kicks.
If aware that another is wicked, say so:
Make no truce or treaty with foes.
And THAT is how I justify my targeting/identifing/pointing out douchebags.
Never share in the shamefully gotten,
But allow yourself what is lawful.
Stop the piracy. We're software developers, ffs, bit torrents are killing us.
That's it for now.
Frondly, Fern
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Havamal Part 8 - The Mating Game
Blessings Darlings!
This week in the Havamal - Odhinn trashes women. And men. Or at least dating. Or speaks of the challenges of actually finding intimacy.
While the words used usually say love here .... more of the time it sounds like lust, or day dreams. For all logic, all sense is thrown away. This is not about finding someone to spend the rest of your life with!
At best it's love as illness, love as destroyer. Tristan and Isolde-level strurm und drang. I suppose that shouldn't be a surprise, given the era this came from. Survival then really did depend in large part on wise choice in a mate and their family. You had a role in the survival of your extended family, your clan, your tribe, your village to uphold.
It didn't matter if you were gay or straight, for that matter. You needed to marry, to form an alliance to strengthen your tribe and to have children, explained Alexi Kondratiev in a class at Sacred Space Conference some years back. The group was more important than the individual.
No man should trust a maiden's words,
Nor what a woman speaks:
Spun on a wheel were women's hearts,
In their breasts was implanted caprice,
To love a woman whose ways are false
Is like sledding over slippery ice
With unshod horses out of control,
Badly trained two-year-olds,
Or drifting rudderless on a rough sea,
Or catching a reindeer with a crippled hand
On a thawing hillside: think not to do it.
Naked I may speak now for I know both:
Men are treacherous too
Fairest we speak when falsest we think:
many a maid is deceived.
Gallantly shall he speak and gifts bring
Who wishes for woman's love:
praise the features of the fair girl,
Who courts well will conquer.
Never reproach another for his love:
It happens often enough
That beauty ensnares with desire the wise
While the foolish remain unmoved.
Never reproach the plight of another,
For it happens to many men:
Strong desire may stupefy heroes,
Dull the wits of the wise
Yeah, the blood leaves the brain and goes to regions farther south, in both men and women.
The mind alone knows what is near the heart,
Each is his own judge:
The worst sickness for a wise man
Is to crave what he cannot enjoy.
So I learned when I sat in the reeds,
Hoping to have my desire:
Lovely was the flesh of that fair girl,
But nothing I hoped for happened.
I saw on a bed Billing's daughter,
Sun white, asleep:
No greater delight I longed for then
Than to lie in her lovely arms.
"Come" Odhinn, after nightfall
If you wish for a meeting with me:
All would be lost if anyone saw us
And learned that we were lovers."
Afire with longing" I left her then,
Deceived by her soft words:
I thought my wooing had won the maid,
That I would have my way.
After nightfall I hurried back,
But the warriors were all awake,
Lights were burning, blazing torches:
So false proved the path
Towards daybreak back I came
The guards were sound asleep:
I found then that the fair woman
Had tied a bitch to her bed.
WHY is it that "All would be lost if anyone saw us and learned that we were lovers'? I'm thinking that would have been a question he should have asked and dealt with up front. Probably back to individual pleasure over the needs of the tribe?
Many a girl when one gets to know her
Proves to be fickle and false:
That treacherous maiden taught me a lesson,
The crafty woman covered me with shame"
That was all I got from her.
Certainly this rings true about dating/courtship. Odhinn here seems to have wanted to get laid, rather than the public 'we are an item' coupling, and certainly not marriage. If marriage was the goal he'd not have agreed to keep things secret.
Courtship. Let's look at the third definition from the Bing dictionary: friendly and often ingratiating attention for the purpose of winning a favor or establishing an alliance or other relationship. Were any of the folks talked of so far doing anything working towards marriage, towards intimacy - the #1 definition of 'courtship' from Bing (the period of a romantic relationship before marriage)? Nope. It's all game playing.
Now, I personally think that dating to have fun and even get laid is fine - not all dating SHOULD lead to marriage. But I'm of the opinion that if you're out for a good time, be up front about. Own it. It's okay.
But some folks ARE going to lie about their intent and lead you on to think that they are on the same songsheet you're on. Which is why you test, you evaluate. How do they treat others? What are their values? Especially if YOU are into dating/courtship in search of marriage and real intimacy.
Gunnlod sat me in the golden seat,
Poured me precious mead:
Ill reward she had from me for that,
For her proud and passionate heart,
Her brooding foreboding spirit.
What I won from her I have well used:
I have waxed in wisdom since I came back,
bringing to Asgard Odrerir,
the sacred draught.
Hardly would I have come home alive
From the garth of the grim troll,
Had Gunnlod not helped me, the good woman,
Who wrapped her arms around me.
Here, of course, Odhinn is the jerk, having tricked Gunnlod into giving him 3 'sips' of the mead according to Prose Edda version of the story, one for every night spent schtupping. Not unlike Freya sleeping with a dwarf for every stone in her necklace Brisingamen. Of course, Freya didn't totally empty the supply of amber, while Odhinn DID drink all the Mead of Poetic Inspiration!
Shun a woman, wise in magic,
Her bed and her embraces:
If she cast a spell, you will care no longer
To meet and speak with men,
Desire no food, desire no pleasure,
In sorrow fall asleep.
Snort. Baby boy, a woman wise in magic doesn't need spells to keep a man. Or just cue my dear Frank Sinatra singing "Witchcraft".
Sigh.... Ahem. Back to the Havamal..
Never seduce anothers wife,
Never make her your mistress.
Never open your heart to an evil man
When fortune does not favour you:
From an evil man, if you make him your friend,
You will get evil for good.
I saw a warrior wounded fatally
By the words of an evil woman
Her cunning tongue caused his death,
Though what she alleged was a lie.
Is all of this, really, about putting one's self and one's personal desires above those of your tribe? About forgetting to judge a potential mate by the same standards you judge the worthiness of your friends and associates? Of putting pleasure above sense?
I'm going to have to puzzle that one out more over time.
Frondly, Fern
This week in the Havamal - Odhinn trashes women. And men. Or at least dating. Or speaks of the challenges of actually finding intimacy.
While the words used usually say love here .... more of the time it sounds like lust, or day dreams. For all logic, all sense is thrown away. This is not about finding someone to spend the rest of your life with!
At best it's love as illness, love as destroyer. Tristan and Isolde-level strurm und drang. I suppose that shouldn't be a surprise, given the era this came from. Survival then really did depend in large part on wise choice in a mate and their family. You had a role in the survival of your extended family, your clan, your tribe, your village to uphold.
It didn't matter if you were gay or straight, for that matter. You needed to marry, to form an alliance to strengthen your tribe and to have children, explained Alexi Kondratiev in a class at Sacred Space Conference some years back. The group was more important than the individual.
No man should trust a maiden's words,
Nor what a woman speaks:
Spun on a wheel were women's hearts,
In their breasts was implanted caprice,
To love a woman whose ways are false
Is like sledding over slippery ice
With unshod horses out of control,
Badly trained two-year-olds,
Or drifting rudderless on a rough sea,
Or catching a reindeer with a crippled hand
On a thawing hillside: think not to do it.
Naked I may speak now for I know both:
Men are treacherous too
Fairest we speak when falsest we think:
many a maid is deceived.
Gallantly shall he speak and gifts bring
Who wishes for woman's love:
praise the features of the fair girl,
Who courts well will conquer.
Never reproach another for his love:
It happens often enough
That beauty ensnares with desire the wise
While the foolish remain unmoved.
Never reproach the plight of another,
For it happens to many men:
Strong desire may stupefy heroes,
Dull the wits of the wise
Yeah, the blood leaves the brain and goes to regions farther south, in both men and women.
The mind alone knows what is near the heart,
Each is his own judge:
The worst sickness for a wise man
Is to crave what he cannot enjoy.
So I learned when I sat in the reeds,
Hoping to have my desire:
Lovely was the flesh of that fair girl,
But nothing I hoped for happened.
I saw on a bed Billing's daughter,
Sun white, asleep:
No greater delight I longed for then
Than to lie in her lovely arms.
"Come" Odhinn, after nightfall
If you wish for a meeting with me:
All would be lost if anyone saw us
And learned that we were lovers."
Afire with longing" I left her then,
Deceived by her soft words:
I thought my wooing had won the maid,
That I would have my way.
After nightfall I hurried back,
But the warriors were all awake,
Lights were burning, blazing torches:
So false proved the path
Towards daybreak back I came
The guards were sound asleep:
I found then that the fair woman
Had tied a bitch to her bed.
WHY is it that "All would be lost if anyone saw us and learned that we were lovers'? I'm thinking that would have been a question he should have asked and dealt with up front. Probably back to individual pleasure over the needs of the tribe?
Many a girl when one gets to know her
Proves to be fickle and false:
That treacherous maiden taught me a lesson,
The crafty woman covered me with shame"
That was all I got from her.
Certainly this rings true about dating/courtship. Odhinn here seems to have wanted to get laid, rather than the public 'we are an item' coupling, and certainly not marriage. If marriage was the goal he'd not have agreed to keep things secret.
Courtship. Let's look at the third definition from the Bing dictionary: friendly and often ingratiating attention for the purpose of winning a favor or establishing an alliance or other relationship. Were any of the folks talked of so far doing anything working towards marriage, towards intimacy - the #1 definition of 'courtship' from Bing (the period of a romantic relationship before marriage)? Nope. It's all game playing.
Now, I personally think that dating to have fun and even get laid is fine - not all dating SHOULD lead to marriage. But I'm of the opinion that if you're out for a good time, be up front about. Own it. It's okay.
But some folks ARE going to lie about their intent and lead you on to think that they are on the same songsheet you're on. Which is why you test, you evaluate. How do they treat others? What are their values? Especially if YOU are into dating/courtship in search of marriage and real intimacy.
Gunnlod sat me in the golden seat,
Poured me precious mead:
Ill reward she had from me for that,
For her proud and passionate heart,
Her brooding foreboding spirit.
What I won from her I have well used:
I have waxed in wisdom since I came back,
bringing to Asgard Odrerir,
the sacred draught.
Hardly would I have come home alive
From the garth of the grim troll,
Had Gunnlod not helped me, the good woman,
Who wrapped her arms around me.
Here, of course, Odhinn is the jerk, having tricked Gunnlod into giving him 3 'sips' of the mead according to Prose Edda version of the story, one for every night spent schtupping. Not unlike Freya sleeping with a dwarf for every stone in her necklace Brisingamen. Of course, Freya didn't totally empty the supply of amber, while Odhinn DID drink all the Mead of Poetic Inspiration!
Shun a woman, wise in magic,
Her bed and her embraces:
If she cast a spell, you will care no longer
To meet and speak with men,
Desire no food, desire no pleasure,
In sorrow fall asleep.
Snort. Baby boy, a woman wise in magic doesn't need spells to keep a man. Or just cue my dear Frank Sinatra singing "Witchcraft".
Sigh.... Ahem. Back to the Havamal..
Never seduce anothers wife,
Never make her your mistress.
Never open your heart to an evil man
When fortune does not favour you:
From an evil man, if you make him your friend,
You will get evil for good.
I saw a warrior wounded fatally
By the words of an evil woman
Her cunning tongue caused his death,
Though what she alleged was a lie.
Is all of this, really, about putting one's self and one's personal desires above those of your tribe? About forgetting to judge a potential mate by the same standards you judge the worthiness of your friends and associates? Of putting pleasure above sense?
I'm going to have to puzzle that one out more over time.
Frondly, Fern
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Havamal, Part 7
Blessings Darlings!
Sorry about the late posting today - the post got eaten by the electronic Aether.
So let's move on to ..... Gold.....
The half wit does not know that gold
Makes apes of many men:
One is rich, one is poor
There is no blame in that.
How much did the average Norse person know about apes? Is this a translation issue?
Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But the good name never dies
Of one who has done well
Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But I know one thing that never dies,
The glory of the great dead
So well known, those two stanzas! Still they bare repeating. Bodies die. Great deeds don't. VERY great and stories about you will live on. Great enough, people will name their children for you, and your name will live on. Screw up bad enough, the stories will remain but you will remain a laughing stock forever.
Fields and flocks had Fitjung's sons,
Who now carry begging bowls:
Wealth may vanish in the wink of an eye,
Gold is the falsest of friends.
Notice - we don't know the names of the sons.
But .... were begging bowls a feature of the Norse poor? They were and are a feature of Buddhist monks, and could be a translation issue. Still, back in the Great Depression as it played out here in the US, people had to bring their own bowls to soup kitchens......
In the fool who acquires cattle and lands,
Or wins a woman's love,
His wisdom wanes with his waxing pride,
He sinks from sense to conceit.
Odin sounds like the 99% here. Remember, 1% - you didn't get there alone. You had companions, luck, and likely privilege. Remember.
Now is answered what you ask of the runes,
Graven by the gods,
Made by the All Father,
Sent by the powerful sage:
lt is best for man to remain silent.
Is this 'keep the conceit of the previous verse to yourself'? Is this "to know, to dare, to try, to KEEP SILENT"? Is this "you have the right to keep silent, now work on the ability to keep silent'?
For these things give thanks at nightfall:
The day gone, a guttered torch,
A sword tested, the troth of a maid,
Ice crossed, ale drunk.
Perhaps this answers my questions about the previous stanza. Keep the conceit to yourself, give thanks for what you have. Remember.
Hew wood in wind-time,
in fine weather sail,
Tell in the night-time tales to house-girls,
For too many eyes are open by day:
From a ship expect speed, from a shield, cover,
Keenness from a sword,
but a kiss from a girl
Drink ale by the hearth, over ice glide,
Buy a stained sword, buy a starving mare
To fatten at home: and fatten the watch-dog.
Back to common sense.
Trust not an acre early sown,
Nor praise a son too soon:
Weather rules the acre, wit the son,
Both are exposed to peril,
While you're at it, don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
A snapping bow, a burning flame,
A grinning wolf, a grunting boar,
A raucous crow, a rootless tree,
A breaking wave, a boiling kettle,
A flying arrow, an ebbing tide,
A coiled adder, the ice of a night,
A bride's bed talk, a broad sword,
A bear's play, a prince' s children,
A witch' s welcome, the wit of a slave,
A sick calf, a corpse still fresh,
A brother's killer encountered upon
The highway a house half-burned,
A racing stallion who has wrenched a leg,
Are never safe: let no man trust them.
Trust yourself. Verify all else.
Frondly, Fern
Sorry about the late posting today - the post got eaten by the electronic Aether.
So let's move on to ..... Gold.....
The half wit does not know that gold
Makes apes of many men:
One is rich, one is poor
There is no blame in that.
How much did the average Norse person know about apes? Is this a translation issue?
Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But the good name never dies
Of one who has done well
Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But I know one thing that never dies,
The glory of the great dead
So well known, those two stanzas! Still they bare repeating. Bodies die. Great deeds don't. VERY great and stories about you will live on. Great enough, people will name their children for you, and your name will live on. Screw up bad enough, the stories will remain but you will remain a laughing stock forever.
Fields and flocks had Fitjung's sons,
Who now carry begging bowls:
Wealth may vanish in the wink of an eye,
Gold is the falsest of friends.
Notice - we don't know the names of the sons.
But .... were begging bowls a feature of the Norse poor? They were and are a feature of Buddhist monks, and could be a translation issue. Still, back in the Great Depression as it played out here in the US, people had to bring their own bowls to soup kitchens......
In the fool who acquires cattle and lands,
Or wins a woman's love,
His wisdom wanes with his waxing pride,
He sinks from sense to conceit.
Odin sounds like the 99% here. Remember, 1% - you didn't get there alone. You had companions, luck, and likely privilege. Remember.
Now is answered what you ask of the runes,
Graven by the gods,
Made by the All Father,
Sent by the powerful sage:
lt is best for man to remain silent.
Is this 'keep the conceit of the previous verse to yourself'? Is this "to know, to dare, to try, to KEEP SILENT"? Is this "you have the right to keep silent, now work on the ability to keep silent'?
For these things give thanks at nightfall:
The day gone, a guttered torch,
A sword tested, the troth of a maid,
Ice crossed, ale drunk.
Perhaps this answers my questions about the previous stanza. Keep the conceit to yourself, give thanks for what you have. Remember.
Hew wood in wind-time,
in fine weather sail,
Tell in the night-time tales to house-girls,
For too many eyes are open by day:
From a ship expect speed, from a shield, cover,
Keenness from a sword,
but a kiss from a girl
Drink ale by the hearth, over ice glide,
Buy a stained sword, buy a starving mare
To fatten at home: and fatten the watch-dog.
Back to common sense.
Trust not an acre early sown,
Nor praise a son too soon:
Weather rules the acre, wit the son,
Both are exposed to peril,
While you're at it, don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
A snapping bow, a burning flame,
A grinning wolf, a grunting boar,
A raucous crow, a rootless tree,
A breaking wave, a boiling kettle,
A flying arrow, an ebbing tide,
A coiled adder, the ice of a night,
A bride's bed talk, a broad sword,
A bear's play, a prince' s children,
A witch' s welcome, the wit of a slave,
A sick calf, a corpse still fresh,
A brother's killer encountered upon
The highway a house half-burned,
A racing stallion who has wrenched a leg,
Are never safe: let no man trust them.
Trust yourself. Verify all else.
Frondly, Fern
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Havamal, Part 6
Blessings Darlings!
Welcome to this week's installment of my free-associating to the words of the Havamal. For those new here - the Havamal is from the Prose Edda of the Norse, and is attributed to Odin. I'm not using either the best translation or the best ordered version ... but I was sure this one was public domain. I've found other translations online since then, better, but I'm going to use this one thru' since I started it. The better versions are mentioned in a great comment in, I believe, the first part of the series.
On to the text!
Little a sand-grain, little a dew drop,
Little the minds of men:
A11 men are not equal in wisdom,
The half-wise are everywhere
Well, YEAH. I'm giving up on reading the 'calls to the editor' part of my local paper.
It is best for man to be middle-wise,
Not over cunning and clever:
The fairest life is led by those
Who are deft at all they do.
It is best for man to be middle-wise,
Not over cunning and clever:
No man is able to know his future,
So let him sleep in peace.
It is best for man to be middle-wise,
Not over cunning and clever:
The learned man whose lore is deep
Is seldom happy at heart.
Is my confusion over the difference between 'half-wise' and 'middle wise' a translation problem?
Welcome to this week's installment of my free-associating to the words of the Havamal. For those new here - the Havamal is from the Prose Edda of the Norse, and is attributed to Odin. I'm not using either the best translation or the best ordered version ... but I was sure this one was public domain. I've found other translations online since then, better, but I'm going to use this one thru' since I started it. The better versions are mentioned in a great comment in, I believe, the first part of the series.
On to the text!
Little a sand-grain, little a dew drop,
Little the minds of men:
A11 men are not equal in wisdom,
The half-wise are everywhere
Well, YEAH. I'm giving up on reading the 'calls to the editor' part of my local paper.
It is best for man to be middle-wise,
Not over cunning and clever:
The fairest life is led by those
Who are deft at all they do.
It is best for man to be middle-wise,
Not over cunning and clever:
No man is able to know his future,
So let him sleep in peace.
It is best for man to be middle-wise,
Not over cunning and clever:
The learned man whose lore is deep
Is seldom happy at heart.
Is my confusion over the difference between 'half-wise' and 'middle wise' a translation problem?
I have to admit my personal prejudice is in favor of being of greater not lesser wisdom. And that I see 'cunning and clever' as being different than wisdom. Maybe more like being smart-asses, or con artists. But the "The learned man whose lore is deep Is seldom happy at heart" line makes it clear that even my educational elitism is what's being addressed here.
Then again, I see happiness as a choice, not something conferred or chased away by eduction, brains, wealth, etc.
Brand kindles brand till they burn out,
Flame is quickened by flame:
One man from another is known by his speech
The simpleton by his silence.
Early shall he rise who has designs
On anothers land or life:
His prey escapes the prone wolf,
The sleeper is seldom victorious.
Early shall he rise who rules few servants,
And set to work at once:
Much is lost by the late sleeper,
Wealth is won by the swift,
Ah, Procrastination, my old friend! Friend? No, more like a foe I've made strong over the years, fool that I tend to be.
A man should know how many logs
And strips of bark from the birch
To stock in autumn, that he may have enough
Wood for his winter fires.
Preparedness. Yes, I'm there. If anyone reading wants links to the web sites that help you figure out how much of what food you need to stock to have a year supply... let me know. Logs, food, water source - know how to supply and DO supply your own basic needs. Then...
Washed and fed,
one may fare to the Thing:
Though one's clothes be the worse for Wear,
None need be ashamed of his shoes or hose,
Nor of the horse he owns,
Although no thoroughbred.
As the eagle who comes to the ocean shore,
Sniffs and hangs her head,
Dumfounded is he who finds at the Thing
No supporters to plead his case.
Once you've met your own needs yourself, you can go to the AlThing proudly. Still, if you are there asking for something .... you need to also check with others to see if they agree with your view. Never assume the support of others.
It is safe to tell a secret to one,
Risky to tell it to two,
To tell it to three is thoughtless folly,
Everyone else will know.
Often words uttered to another
Have reaped an ill harvest:
Two beat one, the tongue is head's bane,
Pockets of fur hide fists.
You have the right to remain silent. Do you have the ability? Freedom of speech lets you say what you want. It does NOT mean that what you say has no repurcussions.
And, for your preppers --- OPSEC! (operational security, for the rest of you).
Moderate at council should a man be,
Not brutal and over bearing:
Among the bold the bully will find
Others as bold as he.
Again ... don't be a douche.
These things are thought the best:
Fire, the sight of the sun,
Good health with the gift to keep it,
And a life that avoids vice.
Not all sick men are utterly wretched:
Some are blessed with sons,
Some with friends,
some with riches,
Some with worthy works.
The halt can manage a horse,
the handless a flock,
The deaf be a doughty fighter,
To be blind is better than to burn on a pyre:
There is nothing the dead can do.
It is always better to be alive,
The living can keep a cow.
Fire, I saw, warming a wealthy man,
With a cold corpse at his door.
A person can be old. A person can be ill. A person can have physical/mental/emotional disabilities. But being helpless and worthless is not one of them. As I told my mother, a decade ago when she started losing her sight and felt she couldn't help a cousin care for the cousin's grandson .... "You put the bottle in one end and change the other .... and the baby lets you know if you got it wrong!" [and thanks to Melilot for the line, BTW]
A son is a blessing, though born late
To a father no longer alive:
Stones would seldom stand by the highway
If sons did not set them there.
He welcomes the night who has enough provisions
Short are the sails of a ship,
Dangerous the dark in autumn,
The wind may veer within five days,
And many times in a month.
Okay, I don't get why these lines have been put here in the version I'm using. Do they flow better in more normative versions? At any rate - you descendants are likely the only ones who will honor your .... but do all descendant have to be biological? Nah, says I.
And it finishes with prepping. Okay. Fine. Short sails, maybe, allow you to tack, to move where you want to go despite where the wind alone would have you go? Is that it? I dunno.
And so ends Part 6. Tune in next Wotansday for Part 7!
Frondly, Fern
Brand kindles brand till they burn out,
Flame is quickened by flame:
One man from another is known by his speech
The simpleton by his silence.
Early shall he rise who has designs
On anothers land or life:
His prey escapes the prone wolf,
The sleeper is seldom victorious.
Early shall he rise who rules few servants,
And set to work at once:
Much is lost by the late sleeper,
Wealth is won by the swift,
Ah, Procrastination, my old friend! Friend? No, more like a foe I've made strong over the years, fool that I tend to be.
A man should know how many logs
And strips of bark from the birch
To stock in autumn, that he may have enough
Wood for his winter fires.
Preparedness. Yes, I'm there. If anyone reading wants links to the web sites that help you figure out how much of what food you need to stock to have a year supply... let me know. Logs, food, water source - know how to supply and DO supply your own basic needs. Then...
Washed and fed,
one may fare to the Thing:
Though one's clothes be the worse for Wear,
None need be ashamed of his shoes or hose,
Nor of the horse he owns,
Although no thoroughbred.
As the eagle who comes to the ocean shore,
Sniffs and hangs her head,
Dumfounded is he who finds at the Thing
No supporters to plead his case.
Once you've met your own needs yourself, you can go to the AlThing proudly. Still, if you are there asking for something .... you need to also check with others to see if they agree with your view. Never assume the support of others.
It is safe to tell a secret to one,
Risky to tell it to two,
To tell it to three is thoughtless folly,
Everyone else will know.
Often words uttered to another
Have reaped an ill harvest:
Two beat one, the tongue is head's bane,
Pockets of fur hide fists.
You have the right to remain silent. Do you have the ability? Freedom of speech lets you say what you want. It does NOT mean that what you say has no repurcussions.
And, for your preppers --- OPSEC! (operational security, for the rest of you).
Moderate at council should a man be,
Not brutal and over bearing:
Among the bold the bully will find
Others as bold as he.
Again ... don't be a douche.
These things are thought the best:
Fire, the sight of the sun,
Good health with the gift to keep it,
And a life that avoids vice.
Not all sick men are utterly wretched:
Some are blessed with sons,
Some with friends,
some with riches,
Some with worthy works.
The halt can manage a horse,
the handless a flock,
The deaf be a doughty fighter,
To be blind is better than to burn on a pyre:
There is nothing the dead can do.
It is always better to be alive,
The living can keep a cow.
Fire, I saw, warming a wealthy man,
With a cold corpse at his door.
A person can be old. A person can be ill. A person can have physical/mental/emotional disabilities. But being helpless and worthless is not one of them. As I told my mother, a decade ago when she started losing her sight and felt she couldn't help a cousin care for the cousin's grandson .... "You put the bottle in one end and change the other .... and the baby lets you know if you got it wrong!" [and thanks to Melilot for the line, BTW]
A son is a blessing, though born late
To a father no longer alive:
Stones would seldom stand by the highway
If sons did not set them there.
He welcomes the night who has enough provisions
Short are the sails of a ship,
Dangerous the dark in autumn,
The wind may veer within five days,
And many times in a month.
Okay, I don't get why these lines have been put here in the version I'm using. Do they flow better in more normative versions? At any rate - you descendants are likely the only ones who will honor your .... but do all descendant have to be biological? Nah, says I.
And it finishes with prepping. Okay. Fine. Short sails, maybe, allow you to tack, to move where you want to go despite where the wind alone would have you go? Is that it? I dunno.
And so ends Part 6. Tune in next Wotansday for Part 7!
Frondly, Fern
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Havamal, Part 5
Blessings Darlings!
So, where did we leave off? Oh, yeah - we're in a social situation, dealing with that most irritating of all things - other people.
It really doesn't matter if this is 'purely social' or a business situation, really. You're going to run into the same things whenever and where ever you are with others.
The wise guest has his way of dealing
With those who taunt him at table:
He smiles through the meal,
not seeming to hear
The twaddle talked by his foes.
Ah, selective hearing - or at least selective responding! Give the shitheads enough rope to hang themselves. Don't cower, don't get roped into responding on their time table. And most of all - this tactic endears you to a reasonable host because they won't have to clean up bodies afterwards.
With those who taunt him at table:
He smiles through the meal,
not seeming to hear
The twaddle talked by his foes.
Ah, selective hearing - or at least selective responding! Give the shitheads enough rope to hang themselves. Don't cower, don't get roped into responding on their time table. And most of all - this tactic endears you to a reasonable host because they won't have to clean up bodies afterwards.
The tactful guest will take his leave Early,
not linger long:
He starts to stink who outstays his welcome
In a hall that is not his own.
While this is mostly about not overstaying your welcome, there's another aspect to it: showing yourself to be a person with MANY things going on in your life. You can't stay at one meeting beyond your schedule, for you are going to meeting with other people. Scarcity is part of your marketing yourself. Buy now! Only a few left!
A small hut of one' s own is better,
A man is his master at home:
A couple of goats and a corded roof
Still are better than begging.
A small hut of one's own is better,
A man is his master at home:
His heart bleeds in the beggar who must
Ask at each meal for meat.
I'm sure you already knew that being homeless and jobless is miserable. But, look deeper.
Your employer is NOT your Master. Remember that. They hired you because you are worth MORE than your wages.
A wayfarer should not walk unarmed,
But have his weapons to hand:
He knows not when he may need a spear,
Or what menace meet on the road.
Back to situational awareness! And, having lived in two no-carry states until 15 months ago - while your main weapon is your mind, don't despise martial arts training.....
No man is so generous he will jib at accepting
A gift in return for a gift,
No man so rich that it really gives him
Pain to be repaid.
Showing gratitude matters, even in small mostly symbolic ways. And, of course, repaying makes it clear that you aren't a bum.
Once he has won wealth enough,
A man should not crave for more:
What he saves for friends, foes may take;
Hopes are often liars.
To me, this speaks more against hording than against investing or other income generating actions.
Now - on to how to treat great friends, and great foes, while remembering that most folks fall somewhere between the two extremes:
With presents friends should please each other,
With a shield or a costly coat:
Mutual giving makes for friendship,
So long as life goes well,
A man should be loyal through life to friends,
To them and to friends of theirs,
But never shall a man make offer
Of friendship to his foes.
A man should be loyal through life to friends,
And return gift for gift,
Laugh when they laugh,
but with lies repay
A false foe who lies.
If you find a friend you fully trust
And wish for his good-will,
exchange thoughts,
exchange gifts,
Go often to his house.
If you deal with another you don't trust
But wish for his good-will,
Be fair in speech but false in thought
And give him lie for lie.
Share with your friends. Share with your foes. In both case, share what they are giving you.
Even with one you ill-trust
And doubt what he means to do,
False words with fair smiles
May get you the gift you desire.
When in doubt, don't let them know you doubt them. Let them think that they are in that 'middle ground' of people you don't DIStrust.
To a false friend the footpath winds
Though his house be on the highway.
To a sure friend there is a short cut,
Though he live a long way off.
Hotter than fire among false hearts burns
Friendship for five days,
But suddenly slackens when the sixth dawns:
Feeble their friendship then.
Ah, and if you think you haven't made a judgement about people (or they didn't make a judgement about you!) ... think again!
The generous and bold have the best lives,
Are seldom beset by cares, ,
But the base man sees bogies everywhere
And the miser pines for presents.
Leadership rules! Being afraid, always covering your assets because of whatever fears you may have, endears you to no one.
The young fir that falls and rots
Having neither needles nor bark,
So is the fate of the friendless man:
Why should he live long?
Having friends matters - being part of society, a working, giving part, makes life worth living.
On that note, I've got more posts to write and, since I'm writing this is Valentine's Day, calls to make and chocolate to prepare for the Chubby Hubby.
Frondly, Fern
Having neither needles nor bark,
So is the fate of the friendless man:
Why should he live long?
Having friends matters - being part of society, a working, giving part, makes life worth living.
On that note, I've got more posts to write and, since I'm writing this is Valentine's Day, calls to make and chocolate to prepare for the Chubby Hubby.
Frondly, Fern
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Havamal, Part 4
Some day reading the Havamal reminds me of the saying "the problem with common sense is that it's so uncommon. So much of this can be summarized by as 'Don't be a Douche'!
Be restrained in your drinking - if you can't remember the night before, you failed and were a fool. Talk little, let your bold, brave actions be your statement. Don't be a pig, especially one who eats/drinks too much then complains that you're SO FULL or so wasted. Don't disrespect others at a gathering, not only because it makes you look bad but if you cause a fight it screws up EVERYONE. Be able to judge who is laughing with you vs laughing at you, your friends from everyone else. Don't count on others taking care of your needs.
Yup. Don't be a douche.
I-forget is the name men give the heron
Who hovers over the fast:
Fettered I was in his feathers that night,
When a guest in Gunnlod's court
Drunk I got, dead drunk,
When Fjalar the wise was with me:
Best is the banquet one looks back on after,
And remembers all that happened,
Silence becomes the Son of a prince,
To be silent but brave in battle:
It befits a man to be merry and glad
Until the day of his death,
The coward believes he will live forever
If he holds back in the battle,
But in old age he shall have no peace
Though spears have spared his limbs
When he meets friends, the fool gapes,
Is shy and sheepish at first,
Then he sips his mead and immediately
All know what an oaf he is,
He who has seen and suffered much,
And knows the ways of the world,
Who has travelled', can tell what spirit
Governs the men he meets,
Drink your mead, but in moderation,
Talk sense or be silent:
No man is called discourteous who goes
To bed at an early hour
A gluttonous man who guzzles away
Brings sorrow on himself:
At the table of the wise he is taunted often,
Mocked for his bloated belly,
The herd knows its homing time,
And leaves the grazing ground:
But the glutton never knows how much
His belly is able to hold,
An ill tempered, unhappy man
Ridicules all he hears,
Makes fun of others, refusing always
To see the faults in himself
Foolish is he who frets at night,
And lies awake to worry'
A weary man when morning comes,
He finds all as bad as before,
The fool thinks that those who laugh
At him are all his friends,
Unaware when he sits with wiser men
How ill they speak of him.
The fool thinks that those who laugh
At him are all his friends:
When he comes to the Thing and calls for support,
Few spokesmen he finds
The fool who fancies he is full of wisdom
While he sits by his hearth at home.
Quickly finds when questioned by others .
That he knows nothing at all.
The ignorant booby had best be silent
When he moves among other men,
No one will know what a nit-wit he is
Until he begins to talk;
No one knows less what a nit-wit he is
Than the man who talks too much.
To ask well, to answer rightly,
Are the marks of a wise man:
Men must speak of men's deeds,
What happens may not be hidden.
Wise is he not who is never silent,
Mouthing meaningless words:
A glib tongue that goes on chattering
Sings to its own harm.
A man among friends should not mock another:
Many believe the man
Who is not questioned to know much
And so he escapes their scorn.
An early meal a man should take
Before he visits friends,
Lest, when he gets there,
he go hungry,
Afraid to ask for food.
The fastest friends may fall out
When they sit at the banquet-board:
It is, and shall be, a shameful thing
When guest quarrels with guest,
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Havamal, Part 3
Blessings Darlings!
So, we've gone over some of the rights and responsibilities of host/guest, or neighbors, or business interactions, or politics (for all of them are social situations, thus fundamentally the same). Now the Havamal moves on to more situational awareness and survival, then 'thrival', strategy.
Who travels widely needs his wits about him,
The stupid should stay at home,
The ignorant man is often laughed at
When he sits at meat with the sage.
Of his knowledge a man should never boast,
Rather be sparing of speech
When to his house a wiser comes:
Seldom do those who are silent
Make mistakes; mother wit
Is ever a faithful friend.
A guest should be courteous
When he comes to the table
And sit in wary silence,
His ears attentive, his eyes alert:
So he protects himself.
I consider the above verses wisdom on situational awareness, especially when on the road/in a business situation/in ANY social situation. It's less succinct and ... cutesy than "you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak".
They speak about a really basic truth - anyone who is clearly trying to impress others DOES tend to impress them ... negatively. If you're so hot, those around you won't need you to tell them. And if you're talking smack about how rich your family is, all that you're going to do is set them up to be raided, especially if you're explaining exactly where your defenses are at the same time!
And if you keep YOUR mouth running, you can't evaluate those around you. You need to know who is sensible, who bullshits, who sees everything negatively, who sees everything too positively, who talks behind others' backs, etc.
Fortunate is he who is favored in his lifetime
With praise and words of wisdom;
Evil counsel is often given
By those of evil heart.
Blessed is he who in his own lifetime
Is awarded praise and wit,
For ill counsel is often given
By mortal men to each other
Evil counsel and ill counsel are only different in what motivates them. Their effect, if you follow the counsel, is the same for you. You'll be sorry. Always consider the source when folks give you advice, and their motivation.
BTW - you ARE evaluating my words here that way, too, aren't you? What are my motives in posting this, and in my amplifications?
Better gear than good sense
A traveler cannot carry,
Better than riches for a wretched man,
Far from his own home.
Better gear than good sense
A traveler cannot carry,
A more tedious burden than too much drink
A traveler cannot carry.
Less good than belief would have it
Is mead for the sons of men:
A man knows less the more he drinks,
Becomes a befuddled fool.
Yes, drinking can cause problems. I suppose that this advice comes from the time before everyone drank because the water was fouled by human contamination? It's a bit of a wonder, tho', since in all the Eddas and Sagas you don't hear about people being served fresh cold water to drink, or even herbal teas, and the only time I recall milk being mentioned was when it was poured down a well to drive out poison. For that matter, the only time I recall Thor drinking water was when he was enchanted and thought he was drinking ale from a big horn .... the other end of the horn was the ocean! So just what WAS one expected to drink if not mead and ale?
On that note, I'm off to make myself another cup of tea.
Frondly, Fern
So, we've gone over some of the rights and responsibilities of host/guest, or neighbors, or business interactions, or politics (for all of them are social situations, thus fundamentally the same). Now the Havamal moves on to more situational awareness and survival, then 'thrival', strategy.
Who travels widely needs his wits about him,
The stupid should stay at home,
The ignorant man is often laughed at
When he sits at meat with the sage.
Of his knowledge a man should never boast,
Rather be sparing of speech
When to his house a wiser comes:
Seldom do those who are silent
Make mistakes; mother wit
Is ever a faithful friend.
A guest should be courteous
When he comes to the table
And sit in wary silence,
His ears attentive, his eyes alert:
So he protects himself.
I consider the above verses wisdom on situational awareness, especially when on the road/in a business situation/in ANY social situation. It's less succinct and ... cutesy than "you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak".
They speak about a really basic truth - anyone who is clearly trying to impress others DOES tend to impress them ... negatively. If you're so hot, those around you won't need you to tell them. And if you're talking smack about how rich your family is, all that you're going to do is set them up to be raided, especially if you're explaining exactly where your defenses are at the same time!
And if you keep YOUR mouth running, you can't evaluate those around you. You need to know who is sensible, who bullshits, who sees everything negatively, who sees everything too positively, who talks behind others' backs, etc.
Fortunate is he who is favored in his lifetime
With praise and words of wisdom;
Evil counsel is often given
By those of evil heart.
Blessed is he who in his own lifetime
Is awarded praise and wit,
For ill counsel is often given
By mortal men to each other
Evil counsel and ill counsel are only different in what motivates them. Their effect, if you follow the counsel, is the same for you. You'll be sorry. Always consider the source when folks give you advice, and their motivation.
BTW - you ARE evaluating my words here that way, too, aren't you? What are my motives in posting this, and in my amplifications?
Better gear than good sense
A traveler cannot carry,
Better than riches for a wretched man,
Far from his own home.
Better gear than good sense
A traveler cannot carry,
A more tedious burden than too much drink
A traveler cannot carry.
Less good than belief would have it
Is mead for the sons of men:
A man knows less the more he drinks,
Becomes a befuddled fool.
Yes, drinking can cause problems. I suppose that this advice comes from the time before everyone drank because the water was fouled by human contamination? It's a bit of a wonder, tho', since in all the Eddas and Sagas you don't hear about people being served fresh cold water to drink, or even herbal teas, and the only time I recall milk being mentioned was when it was poured down a well to drive out poison. For that matter, the only time I recall Thor drinking water was when he was enchanted and thought he was drinking ale from a big horn .... the other end of the horn was the ocean! So just what WAS one expected to drink if not mead and ale?
On that note, I'm off to make myself another cup of tea.
Frondly, Fern
Monday, January 30, 2012
Havamal, Installment 2
Blessings Darlings!
In our last installment of the Havamal, I sort of declare that it was aimed at .... a business traveler. Doesn't matter it the traveler is a trader or raider, I suppose, ultimately, the point is to return richer than when you set out. So, where does the text take us now?
The man who stands at a strange threshold
Should be cautious before he cross it.
Glance this way and that:
Who knows beforehand what foes may sit
Awaiting him in the hall?
Greetings to the host,
The guest has arrived,
In which seat shall he sit?
Rash is he who at unknown doors
Relies on his good luck.
Well, what do you know - it sound like skills from the Ninjitsu training I had! Situational awareness - scope out your surroundings at all times. Especially in a group of people you are meeting for the first time, you will not know all the alliances, and certainly not all the history.
We were rather in that situation a year ago, when we moved. Among our neighbors, who were the power brokers? Would the HOA really enforce the rules on garbage cans, and if so, who would be reporting violations? What families don't get along? Scoping out the hidden alliances and sand traps was necessary!
Our approach - rely on courtesy, our operating motto "Don't embarrass the neighbors". Keep the yard neat, help neighborhood upkeep, wave at every car we pass/passes the house if we're outside.
It's also our business approach, but more on that in a few verses.
Fire is needed by the newcomer
Whose knees are frozen numb,
Meat and clean linen a man needs
Who has fared across the fells.
Water, too, that he may wash before eating,
Handclothes and a hearty welcome,
Courteous words, then courteous silence
that he may tell his tale.
The ball is back in the host's court here. Hosts have responsibilities. Hang up their coats. Show them to the restroom. Get them a cup of coffee, or meal or whatever the situation is. And then scope the guest out!
The assorted rights and responsibilities of guests and hosts are very much like the handshaking done by the machines when you send a fax. They make sure that everyone is using a communication platform that works at both ends.
While you're at it, check their company's D&B listing.
More in our next installment!
Frondly, Fern
In our last installment of the Havamal, I sort of declare that it was aimed at .... a business traveler. Doesn't matter it the traveler is a trader or raider, I suppose, ultimately, the point is to return richer than when you set out. So, where does the text take us now?
The man who stands at a strange threshold
Should be cautious before he cross it.
Glance this way and that:
Who knows beforehand what foes may sit
Awaiting him in the hall?
Greetings to the host,
The guest has arrived,
In which seat shall he sit?
Rash is he who at unknown doors
Relies on his good luck.
Well, what do you know - it sound like skills from the Ninjitsu training I had! Situational awareness - scope out your surroundings at all times. Especially in a group of people you are meeting for the first time, you will not know all the alliances, and certainly not all the history.
We were rather in that situation a year ago, when we moved. Among our neighbors, who were the power brokers? Would the HOA really enforce the rules on garbage cans, and if so, who would be reporting violations? What families don't get along? Scoping out the hidden alliances and sand traps was necessary!
Our approach - rely on courtesy, our operating motto "Don't embarrass the neighbors". Keep the yard neat, help neighborhood upkeep, wave at every car we pass/passes the house if we're outside.
It's also our business approach, but more on that in a few verses.
Fire is needed by the newcomer
Whose knees are frozen numb,
Meat and clean linen a man needs
Who has fared across the fells.
Water, too, that he may wash before eating,
Handclothes and a hearty welcome,
Courteous words, then courteous silence
that he may tell his tale.
The ball is back in the host's court here. Hosts have responsibilities. Hang up their coats. Show them to the restroom. Get them a cup of coffee, or meal or whatever the situation is. And then scope the guest out!
The assorted rights and responsibilities of guests and hosts are very much like the handshaking done by the machines when you send a fax. They make sure that everyone is using a communication platform that works at both ends.
While you're at it, check their company's D&B listing.
More in our next installment!
Frondly, Fern
Friday, January 27, 2012
Havamal, Part 1
Blessings Darlings!
So, how does the Havamal start? Like this:
Young and alone on a long road,
once I lost my way:
Rich I felt when I found another;
Man rejoices in man,
A kind word need not cost much,
The price of praise can be cheap:
With half a loaf and an empty cup
I found myself a friend,
Two wooden stakes stood on the plain,
On them I hung my clothes;
Draped in linen, they looked well born,
But, naked, I was a nobody.
Too early to many homes I came,
Too late, it seemed, to some:
The ale was finished or else un-brewed,
The unpopular cannon please,
Some would invite me to visit their homes,
But none thought I needed a meal,
As though I had eaten a whole joint,
Just before with a friend who had two.
We start the poem on the road. Which makes sense, since Odhinn would be talking to His people, not to Thor's people or Heartha's people, etc. (Thor's men, being working men, are more tied to the lands/fields of home.) Being on the road means you have given up the comforts of home in search of something more. It's not like doing this make you the equivalent of the 'superior man' in the I Ching, but it DOES speak of a certain amount of ambition or drive to better oneself and ones position in life.
Or, as we say in Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF) - why not excellence?
And yet ....
There's clearly a difference between leaving one's comfort zone and being lost and alone. Guides, companions ... humans were then, and still are now, tribal. We may define tribe differently now, it can be family/kith/kin, neighbors/garth, religion based, politically based, economically based, whatever. But no one does it totally alone. Your tribe IS part of your riches.
Which leads, of course, to the issue of hospitality and how one treats strangers and travelers. Not only could you be the stranger/traveler soon, but the stranger at your door could be Odhinn (or Zeus, or Hermes, or Macha, or Finn, or.... well, you Pagans get it). True, being on the road now isn't a much a life-threatening challenge it was back in the day.
Simple politeness is clearly the essence of hospitality. Giving kind words, sharing half a loaf.
Then the 'don't mistake fine clothes for a fine person'. Just as true now with fashion ad pricy clothes as it was then with linen vs. rough working folks clothes!
And don't mistake having fine clothes with being well-fed, either on the road or at home, actually. Assume that others need care and feeding - offer food, drink, again, common courtesy.
Actually, this sort of brings up eating with your guests/business meetings/etc. "Gosh we've run out of food' for you, or "we don't eat good food here, so have none to share" are old tricks. Egyptians not eating with others is mentioned in the Bible, and now kashrut laws for Jews and Halal vs Haram food issues for Moslems, not to mention trying to offer hospitality to vegans or trying to account for food allergies, can really cause problems in offering hospitality. Where do the responsibility of good host vs good guest get drawn? Back then, it was just 'share what you have'. Now - we smoke a damn fine pulled pork here, but it's sure not something I can offer my kosher relatives (some of which won't eat in my house at all).
Thus ends part 1 of our look at the Havamal. More to come! This WILL take a while, and may or may not be a daily thing - depends on how life goes. After all, I still have recipes to share, and opinions on what's happening in the world to spout, too.
Frondly, Fern
So, how does the Havamal start? Like this:
Young and alone on a long road,
once I lost my way:
Rich I felt when I found another;
Man rejoices in man,
A kind word need not cost much,
The price of praise can be cheap:
With half a loaf and an empty cup
I found myself a friend,
Two wooden stakes stood on the plain,
On them I hung my clothes;
Draped in linen, they looked well born,
But, naked, I was a nobody.
Too early to many homes I came,
Too late, it seemed, to some:
The ale was finished or else un-brewed,
The unpopular cannon please,
Some would invite me to visit their homes,
But none thought I needed a meal,
As though I had eaten a whole joint,
Just before with a friend who had two.
We start the poem on the road. Which makes sense, since Odhinn would be talking to His people, not to Thor's people or Heartha's people, etc. (Thor's men, being working men, are more tied to the lands/fields of home.) Being on the road means you have given up the comforts of home in search of something more. It's not like doing this make you the equivalent of the 'superior man' in the I Ching, but it DOES speak of a certain amount of ambition or drive to better oneself and ones position in life.
Or, as we say in Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF) - why not excellence?
And yet ....
There's clearly a difference between leaving one's comfort zone and being lost and alone. Guides, companions ... humans were then, and still are now, tribal. We may define tribe differently now, it can be family/kith/kin, neighbors/garth, religion based, politically based, economically based, whatever. But no one does it totally alone. Your tribe IS part of your riches.
Which leads, of course, to the issue of hospitality and how one treats strangers and travelers. Not only could you be the stranger/traveler soon, but the stranger at your door could be Odhinn (or Zeus, or Hermes, or Macha, or Finn, or.... well, you Pagans get it). True, being on the road now isn't a much a life-threatening challenge it was back in the day.
Simple politeness is clearly the essence of hospitality. Giving kind words, sharing half a loaf.
Then the 'don't mistake fine clothes for a fine person'. Just as true now with fashion ad pricy clothes as it was then with linen vs. rough working folks clothes!
And don't mistake having fine clothes with being well-fed, either on the road or at home, actually. Assume that others need care and feeding - offer food, drink, again, common courtesy.
Actually, this sort of brings up eating with your guests/business meetings/etc. "Gosh we've run out of food' for you, or "we don't eat good food here, so have none to share" are old tricks. Egyptians not eating with others is mentioned in the Bible, and now kashrut laws for Jews and Halal vs Haram food issues for Moslems, not to mention trying to offer hospitality to vegans or trying to account for food allergies, can really cause problems in offering hospitality. Where do the responsibility of good host vs good guest get drawn? Back then, it was just 'share what you have'. Now - we smoke a damn fine pulled pork here, but it's sure not something I can offer my kosher relatives (some of which won't eat in my house at all).
Thus ends part 1 of our look at the Havamal. More to come! This WILL take a while, and may or may not be a daily thing - depends on how life goes. After all, I still have recipes to share, and opinions on what's happening in the world to spout, too.
Frondly, Fern
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Winter Nights
Blessings Darlings!
Back in the day - and I mean REALLY back in Europe, from the iron age until industrialization - winter was the time for learning history, poetry, culture, wisdom. After all, in summer the herds would be out in the fields being watched by the original cow boys from dawn till dusk. And dawn was really early, and dusk really late.
But in winter, the thinned herds were kept in the village so you could easily feed and water them. Dawn was late, dusk early, so you didn't crash as soon as the sun went down. And, in Ireland, even the Fianna bunked in towns during the winter. So after dinner you could head over to the neighbor's place and the elders would tell the stories, share the poetry and tales.
So I think I'll go there in this blog for a while. I'll start with the words of the Havamal and some of my own commentary on it, how it applies to MY life. I'm not going to pretend to be overly knowledgeable about the time it comes from, after all!
The Havamal is part of the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poetry. It is, fundamentally, common sense served up by Odhinn. Common sense being, well, awfully uncommon lately, it seems like a great place to start.
I'll be using the Auden & Taylor translation, which is all over the interwebs and appears to be public domain.
If any of y'all are knowledgeable about the times this comes from, or have other insights to add, PLEASE add comments as we go along! I'm no expert historian, nor am I Asatruar or anyone who has really studied this in context.
Frondly, Fern
Back in the day - and I mean REALLY back in Europe, from the iron age until industrialization - winter was the time for learning history, poetry, culture, wisdom. After all, in summer the herds would be out in the fields being watched by the original cow boys from dawn till dusk. And dawn was really early, and dusk really late.
But in winter, the thinned herds were kept in the village so you could easily feed and water them. Dawn was late, dusk early, so you didn't crash as soon as the sun went down. And, in Ireland, even the Fianna bunked in towns during the winter. So after dinner you could head over to the neighbor's place and the elders would tell the stories, share the poetry and tales.
So I think I'll go there in this blog for a while. I'll start with the words of the Havamal and some of my own commentary on it, how it applies to MY life. I'm not going to pretend to be overly knowledgeable about the time it comes from, after all!
The Havamal is part of the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poetry. It is, fundamentally, common sense served up by Odhinn. Common sense being, well, awfully uncommon lately, it seems like a great place to start.
I'll be using the Auden & Taylor translation, which is all over the interwebs and appears to be public domain.
If any of y'all are knowledgeable about the times this comes from, or have other insights to add, PLEASE add comments as we go along! I'm no expert historian, nor am I Asatruar or anyone who has really studied this in context.
Frondly, Fern
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